Lori Dengler, Professor of Geology at Humboldt State University, says last night’s earthquake was large enough where it could have caused a significant amount of damage, but says it wasn’t the type to cause a tsunami.

“This was another Gorda Plate earthquake. Gorda Plate earthquakes involve horizontal motion. They don’t produce the vertical up down motion that produces a tsunami,” Dengler said.

Since the earthquake hit just before 10:30 last night, there have been more than 20 aftershocks near the north coast. Dengler says that can be expected for up to four weeks.

“Basically it’s nature trying to readjust the newfound configuration when one part of the rock has moved relative to the other,” Dengler said.

The shake was certainly large enough that most people felt it, and enough to get the attention of one store cat captured on this security camera.